Monday, May 14, 2007

Story of the Day-NBC

Upfront week begins with NBC.NBC (a former acronym for National Broadcasting Company) is an American television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center. It is sometimes referred to as the Peacock Network due to its stylized peacock logo. The network is now part of the media company NBC Universal, a unit of General Electric (GE) and Vivendi, and supplies programming to more than 200 affiliated U.S. stations.

Formed in 1926 by RCA, control of NBC passed to GE in 1986 following GE's $6.4 billion purchase of RCA. Since this acquisition, the chief executive of NBC (now NBC Universal) has been Bob Wright, until he retired, giving his job to Jeff Zucker.

http://www.answers.com/topic/nbcMajor U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. Directed by RCA's president David Sarnoff, it became wholly owned by RCA in 1930. NBC was initially divided into the semi-independent Blue Network, based on station WJZ, and the Red Network, based on WEAF, each with links to stations in other cities. By 1938 the Red Network carried 75% of NBC's programs. The Blue Network was sold in 1941 and became the American Broadcasting Co. (ABC). NBC entered television broadcasting in a weakened position, and by 1952 it trailed CBS in audience ratings, though it gradually regained its leading position. In 1986 RCA was sold to GE; in 1987 NBC sold its radio networks. In the 1990s NBC expanded its cable television programming, creating MSNBC (an alliance with Microsoft) and CNBC (an alliance with Dow Jones).Monday: NBC To Announce Fall Schedule Of Showshttp://www.nbc4.tv/entertainment/13313613/detail.htmlLOS ANGELES -- A revival of the 1970s series "The Bionic Woman" is among the new programs expected to be on NBC's fall schedule, which is to be announced Monday.

The schedule also will include "Law & Order," which has been renewed for an 18th season. The renewal will make "Law & Order" the second-longest running drama in network primetime television history, breaking a tie with "Lassie," which aired on CBS from 1954-71.

Creator Dick Wolf has said his goal is for "Law & Order" to outlast "Gunsmoke," which ran on CBS from 1955 to 1975, making it network television's longest running primetime drama.

Viewership for "Law & Order" declined this season, when it was moved from Wednesdays to Fridays, the second-least watched night of the week. However, it has increased NBC's viewership among viewers ages 18-49 in the Friday 10-11 p.m. time period by 12 percent.

It also has the highest percentage of viewers ages 18-49 living in households with incomes of $100,000 or more of any Friday series, a major plus with advertisers.

"I am very grateful that 'Law & Order' is coming back for its 18th season on NBC," Wolf said. "Creatively, the show is still firing on all cylinders and I have no doubt that the show's quality can and will continue for years to come."

NBC also announced that "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" will return to NBC, but new episodes will be shown on the main NBC network only after they debut on the co-owned USA cable channel, reversing the network's current practice.

Exactly when the "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" episodes will run on NBC is expected to be announced Monday. Options include Saturday nights, when NBC no longer airs first-run programs, or later in the season in place of a failed series.

"With this innovative programming move, we have significantly strengthened the already powerful USA network, given NBC maximum flexibility, and in the process have changed the paradigm of prime time television," said NBC Universal President and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Zucker.

Reruns of the three "Law & Order" series, including "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," were cable's three most-watched repeats for the first four months of 2007 among viewers ages 25-54.

Among the new series NBC ordered is a remake of "The Bionic Woman," which originally aired from 1976-77 on ABC and 1977-78 on NBC.

In the new version, English actress Michelle Ryan will star as Jamie Sommers, the same name as the character portrayed by Lindsay Wagner in the original, although the new Jamie is a struggling bartender and surrogate mother to her teenage sister, played by Mae Whitman.

The first-year low-rated but critically acclaimed Texas high school football drama "Friday Night Lights" will be renewed for a second season.

But NBC will cancel its first-year drama "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," which hasn't aired since Feb. 19. Also being axed is "The Black Donnellys," the Irish organized-crime drama that replaced "Studio 60" in the Monday 10-11 p.m. time slot, and the forensic crime drama, "Crossing Jordan," The New York Times reported.

Other renewed series announced by NBC include the comedies "30 Rock," "The Office" and "My Name Is Earl" and the dramas "Heroes" and "Medium."

As the first of the five major broadcast networks to announce its fall schedule, the lineup NBC announces Monday could just be a rough draft. The network juggled five nights of last fall's schedule, just 10 days after its original announcement, in response to the other networks' schedules.

NBC remains mired in fourth place in the season-long ratings, both among total viewers and the viewers between the ages of 18 and 49, the group it, ABC and Fox Broadcasting target and advertisers covet.

Through last Sunday, NBC's viewership is down 8 percent among all demographics and 6 percent among viewers 18-49 compared to last season, according to Nielsen Media Research figures.

ABC is down 10 percent, and CBS down 1 percent, in overall viewership, while Fox is up 4 percent. Among the coveted young adult demographic slice, ABC is down 13 percent and CBS 3 percent, while Fox is unchanged.

NBC renews 'Law & Order' seriesTo air new 'Criminal Intent' episodes on USA, repeats on NBChttp://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/nbc-renews-law--order/story.aspx?guid=%7BC5EEE1AB-8ABE-4F36-9C89-EA8E7814AED3%7DCHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- NBC Universal has decided to renew all three legs of the "Law & Order" franchise -- but in a surprise move, the company will move new episodes of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" to its USA cable channel, while airing reruns of the show on NBC."Criminal Intent," starring Vincent D'Onofrio as the eccentric but brilliant Det. Robert Goren and Kathryn Erbe as his partner, Det. Alexandra Eames, returns for its seventh season. For several years, reruns of episodes first seen on NBC have been shown on USA, the top-rated basic cable network. In a statement, NBC Universal Chief Executive Jeff Zucker said the switch, announced late Sunday, strengthens USA and gives NBC "maximum flexibility." Meanwhile, the original "Law & Order" rolls on to its 18th season, bringing it a year closer to eclipsing the record for the longest-running drama series in television history. CBS's "Gunsmoke" holds the current record, as it ran on that network from 1955 to 1975. "Law & Order," which premiered in 1990, became the modern prototype of the police procedural drama, establishing a template that led to the later successes of "C.S.I: Crime Scene Investigation," "Cold Case" and other popular shows. NBC Entertainment President Kevin Reilly called it one of NBC's "defining series." The show has seen a great deal of cast turnover, but has been anchored since 1994 by Sam Waterston as Assistant D.A. Jack McCoy. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," the most highly rated of the three shows, was picked up for its ninth season in January. Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay star as two intense detectives in a unit that investigates sex crimes. Law & Orderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_&_OrderLaw & Order is an American television police procedural and legal drama set in New York City. Created by Dick Wolf, the award-winning Law & Order is broadcast on the NBC network and syndicated on other US networks, as well as worldwide. The show is produced by NBC Universal Television Studio, formerly known as Universal Television and Studios USA.

Law & Order first appeared on the NBC network in the fall of 1990, and its success has resulted in the creation of additional shows under the Law & Order franchise. It is the longest-running primetime drama currently on American television.

The pilot episode was produced for CBS in 1988, but it never aired on that network. Instead, it aired as Episode 6 on NBC in 1990.

Law & Order's seventeenth season on NBC began on Friday, September 22, 2006, at 10PM EST, and will continue as an anchor of the network's Friday lineup; the show had aired on Wednesdays since 1992, and on Tuesdays before that. The series is broadcast in Canada on CTV. Reruns can be seen regularly each weeknight on TNT (U.S.) and weekdays (1PM) & weeknights (11PM) on Bravo! (Canada). It can be seen in the UK with new episodes first showing on the cable and satellite channel Sky One and later on Sky Two with a terrestrial airing on channel Five and repeats of the early seasons are being shown on the Hallmark Channel. It was recently announced that the Law & Order franchise would be screened on Five US.NBC Announces Its 2007-08 Primetime Lineup http://www.comingsoon.net/news/tvnews.php?id=20372NBC will enhance its current roster of critically acclaimed and creatively ambitious programs with a new 2007-08 primetime lineup that features five new dramas, one new comedy and a variety of fresh unscripted programs, complemented by a host of innovative programming moves, it was announced today at NBC's presentation to advertisers and the media at New York's Radio City Music Hall.

"Last year we promised a return to the NBC legacy of quality, and in terms of awards, buzz and critical acclaim, that's just what we delivered," said NBC Entertainment President Kevin Reilly. "We've got the class and next season we're ready to add some mass, with new shows that build on the creative accomplishments of last season and are as broad as they are good. Combine the energy of these new programs with the bulked-up strength of our existing NBC hits and you've got a lineup that's poised to take us to the next level."

"We've always been a company that's embraced new ideas and introduced innovations ahead of the pack," said Marc Graboff, President, NBC Universal Television, West Coast. "Today's advertisers want programs that excite viewers and command real passion both on our broadcast airwaves and in the digital/online realm, and that's what our new fall schedule is all about."

NBC's 2007-08 lineup features the new dramas "Journeyman" (Mondays, 10-11 p.m. ET), a romantic-mystery from the Emmy Award-winning producers of "The West Wing," concerning a San Francisco newspaper reporter (Kevin McKidd, "Rome") who inexplicably begins to travel through time and alter people's lives; and "Chuck" (Tuesdays, 9-10 p.m. ET), a comedic spy thriller about an unassuming computer geek who is unexpectedly catapulted into a new career as a government agent after spy secrets are mysteriously embedded into his brain.

Also new this fall is the drama "Bionic Woman" (Wednesdays, 9-10 p.m. ET), a re-imagination of the classic from David Eick ("Battlestar Galactica") and Jason Smilovic ("Kidnapped"). "Bionic Woman" stars Michelle Ryan ("EastEnders") as a young woman whose life is radically altered and empowered after a car crash. Additionally, "Life" (Wednesdays, 10-11 p.m. ET) features a complex police detective (Damian Lewis, "Band of Brothers") who's given a second chance on the force after serving years in prison for a crime he didn't commit.

The new dramedy "Lipstick Jungle," from bestselling author Candace Bushnell ("Sex and the City"), is set to debut in January 2008 on Sundays (10-11 p.m. ET). Created by Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Helene, ("How I Met Your Mother"), the series involves the lives of three high-powered friends (Brooke Shields, "Suddenly Susan," Kim Raver, "24," and Lindsay Price, "Beverly Hills, 90210") who are determined to achieve their dreams and to do it on their own terms.

The latest new comedy from NBC is "The IT Crowd," based on the acclaimed British series that takes a behind-the-scenes peek at the misunderstood techies (Joel McHale, "The Soup," and Richard Ayoade, "The IT Crowd" -- U.K.) who toil in the Information Technology department of a large, impersonal corporation. "The IT Crowd" is scheduled to join the NBC schedule during the course of the 2007-08 season.

Among today's additional announcements, each representing a unique opportunity for NBC's clients to attach their messages to original and quality content that goes beyond the 30-second spot, are:

*NBC "bulks up" with 30 combined episodes of "Heroes" and "Heroes: Origins," an innovative new spin-off that each week will introduce a new character -- one of whom will be chosen by viewers through the "Heroes" website on NBC.com to become a cast regular the following season.

*The network has ordered 30 half-hours of the hit series "The Office," including five hour-long episodes, and also has increased the season order for "My Name Is Earl" to 25 episodes.

*Jerry Seinfeld, star of the classic NBC mega-hit "Seinfeld," returns to the network to create and star in 20 unique live-action comedy "minisodes" inspired by his experiences creating the upcoming DreamWorks animated feature film "Bee Movie," in theaters November 2. NBC Universal will also have the exclusive U.S. broadcast and cable network rights to the film, which features Seinfeld as the voice of Barry B. Benson, a disillusioned bee. Produced by Seinfeld and DreamWorks, the 20 comedy shorts will give viewers a glimpse at Seinfeld's behind-the-scenes antics during production of the movie. The "minisodes" will run on NBC's primetime schedule this Fall, as well as on NBC.com, on designated days before and after the release of the film.

*Series renewals include the Peabody Award-winning drama "Friday Night Lights," now shifting to Friday nights (10-11 p.m. ET); "Scrubs," also a Peabody winner, for a seventh season; and the venerable, Emmy-winning "Law & Order," for its historic 18th season (see separate NBCUMV.com release).

*NBC's acclaimed Thursday "Comedy Night Done Right" lineup will next year lead off with "My Name is Earl" at 8 p.m. (ET), which will be followed by "30 Rock" at 8:30 p.m., the Peabody Award-winning "The Office" at 9 p.m. and "Scrubs" at 9:30.

*New NBC series "Bionic Woman" and "Life" will be re-purposed on SCI FI Channel and USA Network, respectively, shortly after their original telecasts on NBC.

*NBC will kick-start the weekend on Fridays (8-9 p.m. ET) with "Game Night," a rotation of game shows that features "1 vs 100" (hosted by Bob Saget) for eight weeks, followed by six weeks of the new variety competition series "The Singing Bee" in the fall. The program is a competition that challenges contestants to accurately sing the lyrics to popular songs -- even when the band stops playing.

Also at today's presentation in New York, the network unveiled several new "NBC 360" digital initiatives that will help maintain the NBC Universal Television Group's leadership in the creation and execution of innovative digital opportunities across its multiple media platforms (see related NBCUMV.com releases).

Later in the fall, NBC plans to introduce the unscripted series, "World Moves," a talent competition program from executive producer Randy Jackson ("American Idol") that features dance teams from around the world auditioning for their shot to come to Los Angeles and compete for a global championship and an international touring contract.

After "Sunday Night Football" concludes its season in January 2008, the network will unveil a new regular line-up. After the return of "Dateline NBC" (7-8 p.m. ET) will be the 18th season premiere of "Law & Order" (8-9 p.m. ET), followed by the fourth season debut of "Medium" (9-10 p.m. ET) and the premiere of the sexy new dramedy "Lipstick Jungle" (10-11 p.m. ET).

"JOURNEYMAN"-- From Emmy Award-winning writer-producer Kevin Falls ("The West Wing") and Emmy Award-winning director-producer Alex Graves ("The West Wing"), "Journeyman" is a romantic mystery-drama about Dan Vasser (Kevin McKidd, "Rome"), a San Francisco newspaper reporter and family man who inexplicably begins to travel through time and change people's lives. Along the way, he also must deal with the difficulties and strife at work and home brought on by his sudden disappearances. However, his freewheeling travels through the decades reunite him with his long-lost fiance Livia (Moon Bloodgood, "Day Break") -- which complicates his present-day life with wife Katie (Gretchen Egolf, "Martial Law") and their son. Reed Diamond ("Homicide: Life on the Street") and Charles Henry Wyson ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") also star. "Journeyman" is a production of 20th Century Fox Television. Falls is executive producer and writer; Graves is executive producer and director of the pilot.

"CHUCK" - From executive producer, Josh Schwartz ("The O.C.") and executive producer-director McG ("Charlie's Angels," "We Are Marshall") comes a one-hour, comedic spy thriller about Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi, "Less Than Perfect") - a computer geek who is catapulted into a new career as the government's most vital secret agent. When Chuck opens an e-mail subliminally encoded with government secrets, he unwittingly downloads an entire server of sensitive data into his brain. Now, the fate of the world lies in the unlikely hands of a guy who works at Buy More. Instead of fighting computer viruses, he must fight assassins and international terrorists. With the government's most precious secrets in Chuck's head, Major John Casey (Adam Baldwin, "My Bodyguard") of the NSA assumes the responsibility of protecting him. His partner is the CIA's top agent (and Chuck's first date in years) Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strzechowski, "Gone"). They'll keep him safe by trading in his pocket protector for a bulletproof vest. Also starring are Joshua Gomez ("Without a Trace") as Chuck's best buddy Morgan and Sarah Lancaster ("What About Brian?") as Chuck's ever-supportive sister Ellie. Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak wrote "Chuck," which is produced by College Hill Pictures and Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television.

"BIONIC WOMAN" - Struggling as a bartender and surrogate mom to her teenage sister, Jaime Sommers (Michelle Ryan, "EastEnders") didn't think life could get much harder. But when a devastating car accident leaves her at death's door, Jaime's only hope for survival is a cutting-edge, top-secret technology that comes at a hefty price. With a whole new existence and a debt to re-pay, Jaime must figure out how to use her extraordinary abilities for good, while weighing the personal sacrifices she will have to make. Ultimately, it's Jaime's journey of self-discovery and inner strength that will help her embrace her new life as the Bionic Woman. Also starring are: Mae Whitman ("State of Grace") as Becca, Jaime's younger sister; Miguel Ferrer ("Crossing Jordan") as Jonas, the man who employs Jaime's boyfriend; Chris Bowers ("Rescue Me) as Will, Jaime's boyfriend, who performs the operation; Will Yun Lee ("Witchblade") as Jae, the specialized operations leader; and Molly Price ("Third Watch"), as Ruth, Jonas' second-in-command. "Bionic Woman" is produced by NBC Universal Television Studio and executive-produced by David Eick ("Battlestar Galactica"), Glen Morgan ("The X-Files"), Michael Dinner ("Kidnapped") -- who also directed the pilot -- and Jason Smilovic ("Lucky Number Slevin"). Laeta Kalogridis ("Birds of Prey") is also an executive producer on the pilot.

"LIFE" -- From Rand Ravich and Far Shariat, the executive producers of the feature film "The Astronaut's Wife," and David Semel, who directed the pilot of NBC's "Heroes," "Life" is a new drama about a detective who is given a second chance. Damian Lewis ("Band of Brothers") stars as complex, offbeat Detective Charlie Crews, who returns to the force after years in prison, thanks to close friend and attorney Constance Griffiths (Melissa Sagemiller, "Sleeper Cell"), after serving time for a crime he didn't commit. The cast also includes Sarah Shahi ("Rush Hour 3") as Charlie's skeptical, demanding partner, Robin Weigart (HBO's "Deadwood") as their hard-hitting lieutenant, and Adam Arkin ("Chicago Hope") as former cellmate Ted Early. "Life" is an NBC Universal Television Studio production. Rand Ravich is executive producer and writer; Far Shariat is executive producer; David Semel is executive producer and director on the pilot

"LIPSTICK JUNGLE" - Based on the best-selling novel by Candace Bushnell ("Sex and the City"), this fun dramedy follows three high-powered friends as they weather the ups and downs of lives lived at the top of their game. Nico (Kim Raver, "24"), editor-in-chief of a hot fashion magazine, wants to replace her boss as CEO. Movie exec Wendy (Brooke Shields, "Suddenly Susan") finds even her most earnest efforts may not be enough to balance career and family. And free-spirited designer Victory (Lindsay Price, "Beverly Hills, 90210") longs to make her dreams come true, and maybe find Mr. Right along the way. Armed with humor and strength, these three modern New York women support one another through the triumphs and tears that are all part of making it big in the Big Apple. Written by executive producers DeAnn Heline and Eileen Heisler (both for "How I Met Your Mother," "Three Sisters") and based on the book by Bushnell, "Lipstick Jungle" is from NBC Universal Television Studio. The pilot is directed by Gary Winick ("13 Going on 30").

New Comedy Series

"THE IT CROWD" - Ever wonder what's up with those quirky techies who come to fix the office computer when no one's around? "The IT Crowd" is an offbeat series, based on the critically acclaimed British comedy, that offers a humorous behind-the-scenes peek at the people who truly keep the office humming. Roy (Joel McHale, "The Soup") and Moss (Richard Ayoade, "The IT Crowd" -- U.K.) are the misunderstood masters of their high-tech domain, but they lack the people skills to befriend anyone but each other. Their company's head is Denholm (Rocky Carrol, "Chicago Hope"), who wants the IT department to stay segregated and forever banished to the basement. Executive producers are Moses Port ("Just Shoot Me"), David Guarascio ("Just Shoot Me"), Joe Port (NBC's "The Office"), Joe Wiseman ("The Office"), Graham Linehan ("The IT Crowd" -- UK) and Steve Tao ("Red Doors"). Gail Mancuso ("Scrubs," "30 Rock") directed the pilot. "The IT Crowd" is produced by NBC Universal Television Studio.

New Alternative Series

"THE SINGING BEE" - "The Singing Bee" is a variety-competition show that challenges contestants to accurately sing the lyrics to popular songs -- even when the band stops playing. In this karaoke showdown, there's no middle ground for partially correct answers -- contestants must be perfect or they're out. Family-friendly, broad in appeal and conducive to playing (and singing) along at home, "The Singing Bee" features popular, recognizable music that inspires hilarious wrong answers and amazing performances by those rare contestants who somehow manage to get every word right. "The Singing Bee" is produced by the Gurin Company and Juma Entertainment, LLC. The executive producers are Phil Gurin (NBC's "Miss Universe" franchise) and Robert C. Horowitz ("Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials Top 40 Countdown").

"WORLD MOVES" -- From executive producer Randy Jackson ("American Idol") and the creators of the World Hip Hop Championship comes one of the most visual and captivating performance competition shows ever to hit TV. Thousands of dance teams from around the world will audition for their shot to come to Los Angeles and compete for a global championship and an international touring contract. The live television event features young teams of five to seven members demonstrating their athleticism, creativity and innovative choreography in a presentation that highlights both the competition and the personal drama unfolding within each team. Viewers from across the globe will vote via the Internet, by text message, or by phone to eliminate one team each week. Ultimately, it's not just about winning a competition; "World Moves" involves stories that change lives and bring the world together. From Warner Horizon Television, the series is executive-produced by Jackson ("American Idol," Dream Merchant 21 Entertainment), Rob Lee (President, Bayonne Entertainment, "Blow Out," "House of Carters"), Howard Schwartz ("Hip Hop International, World Hip Hop Championship), Karen Schwartz (Hip Hop International, World Hip Hop Championship) and Harriet Sternberg (Dream Merchant 21 Entertainment).NBC adds four dramas for fall, shifts "Friday Night Lights" to Friday, holds "Law & Order" to Januaryhttp://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2007/05/nbc_adds_foor_d.html

The new show to watch next fall on NBC? "Journeyman.This saga of a time-traveling newspaper reporter (played by Kevin McKidd of "Rome") will move into the 10 p.m. Monday slot, where three series failed this season. NBC showed its confidence in "Journeyman" by putting it after "Heroes," the biggest new hit from last fall. To keep viewers hooked, NBC will expand "Heroes" to 30 new episodes, which include a spinoff "Heroes: Origins" that will allow viewers to vote -- at nbc.com -- about a new character to add the following season.

NBC will add three other dramas in the fall, shift "Friday Night Lights" to Fridays and save "Law & Order" for midseason. Here are the other NBC newcomers:

"Chuck" is a spy thriller from Josh Schwartz, creator of "The O.C." The show has a comedic tone and stars Zachary Levi as a computer geek who becomes a secret agent.

"Bionic Woman" is an update of the 1970s Lindsay Wagner series. Michelle Ryan of Britain's "EastEnders" takes the title role.

"Life" follows a detective (Damian Lewis of "Band of Brothers") who rejoins the police force after serving years in prison for a crime he didn't commit.

The cancellations include "Crossing Jordan," "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," "The Black Donnellys," "The Real Wedding Crashers," "Andy Barker, P.I." and "Raines." NBC said nothing about "The Apprentice," which suggests it's a goner, too. More details will come in a call with network executives later this morning.

"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" will start its season on USA Network, which is a corporate sibling to NBC.

NBC said it will play eight weeks of "1 vs 100" under the banner "Game Night." Then the network will offer "The Singing Bee" for six weeks. "Bee" is a contest in which competitors try to sing popular songs.

NBC described "Lipstick Jungle" as a dramedy about three women pals determined to reach their goals their way. The series stars Brooke Shields, Kim Raver and Lindsay Price.

NBC announced a midseason comedy. "The IT Crowd" is adaptation of a British series about Information Technology workers in a corporation.

Later in the fall, NBC will add "World Moves," a dance comptition from "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson.

NBC also announced that Jerry Seinfeld will return to the network. Another comedy?

Not at all. Seinfeld will appear in 20 "minisodes" to promote "Bee Movie," an animated movie that will hit theaters in November. These comedy shorts will appear through prime time.

The cancellationsCrossing Jordan

Studio 60

RAINES

Andy Barker

The Black Donnellys

NBC Sews up 'Scrubs' Run"Scrubs" creator Bill Lawrence had to face months of uncertainty about the future of his underrated comedy on NBC.http://www.javno.com/en/lifestyle/clanak.php?id=43730For each of the past two years, "Scrubs" creator Bill Lawrence had to face months of uncertainty about the future of his underrated comedy on NBC -- and rumors of it moving to ABC -- only to land an eleventh-hour renewal both times. And he is OK with that.

"In today's landscape, it is hard to pony up money for a show that does 2s in the ratings," Lawrence said. "It's testament to NBC that they want quality comedy on the network."

Word that ABC would pick up the show if it was canceled at NBC gave Lawrence and his team confidence that the show's current sixth season wouldn't be its last. But the seventh one will be.

"We're happy we can end the show on our own terms," he said. "We've been building toward the next season and the show's last 18 episodes."

As it did last year, NBC picked up the quirky medical comedy, starring Zach Braff, for fewer than 22 episodes. That helps NBC manage its cost because an older show like "Scrubs" requires the network to cover the entire production budget.

With production contained within one location -- a Los Angeles-area hospital -- the series has managed to stay around $2 million per episode, impressive for a long-running single-camera comedy.

Although he is happy that his show is coming back, Lawrence said he can't ignore the dire straits of the genre, with the networks picking up only a handful of comedies this year.

"I worry about this becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy with the networks thinking that the only thing to do is to put less and less comedies on the air," he said. "I hope other comedies get picked up and have a good shot."

ad to face months of uncertainty about the future of his underrated comedy on NBC -- and rumors of it moving to ABC -- only to land an eleventh-hour renewal both times. And he is OK with that.

"In today's landscape, it is hard to pony up money for a show that does 2s in the ratings," Lawrence said. "It's testament to NBC that they want quality comedy on the network."

Word that ABC would pick up the show if it was canceled at NBC gave Lawrence and his team confidence that the show's current sixth season wouldn't be its last. But the seventh one will be.

"We're happy we can end the show on our own terms," he said. "We've been building toward the next season and the show's last 18 episodes."

As it did last year, NBC picked up the quirky medical comedy, starring Zach Braff, for fewer than 22 episodes. That helps NBC manage its cost because an older show like "Scrubs" requires the network to cover the entire production budget.

With production contained within one location -- a Los Angeles-area hospital -- the series has managed to stay around $2 million per episode, impressive for a long-running single-camera comedy.

Although he is happy that his show is coming back, Lawrence said he can't ignore the dire straits of the genre, with the networks picking up only a handful of comedies this year.

"I worry about this becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy with the networks thinking that the only thing to do is to put less and less comedies on the air," he said. "I hope other comedies get picked up and have a good shot."

The network took a risk by keeping its Thursday night comedy lineup intact. NBC has drawn strong critical praise but few viewers for shows like "30 Rock" and "The Office," leaving the network faltering on a night it once dominated.

NBC, the first of the broadcast networks to unveil a new schedule to advertisers this week, canceled "Crossing Jordan" and the high-profile failure "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." Another critical favorite that hasn't found a big audience, "Friday Night Lights," was renewed.

"Law & Order" will be back for its 18th season and "Medium" will return, but not until January, when they take over a Sunday time slot filled by football in the fall.

Fourth-place NBC showed signs of life last fall with critically acclaimed shows. The bottom dropped out this spring when the network had its least-watched week in at least 20 years — then went even lower the following week.

"We've got the class and next season we're ready to add some mass, with new shows that build on the creative accomplishments of last season and are as broad as they are good," NBC entertainment president Kevin Reilly said.

To stretch the normal 22-episode season of "Heroes," which faltered after its long hiatus this year, NBC will add "Heroes: Origins." The spinoff will introduce a new character each week, and viewers will select which one stays for the following season. The two series will have 30 new episodes combined.

Since it found an audience this season with superpowered stars, NBC will remake "Bionic Woman" with Michelle Ryan in the title role.

New series "Journeyman" is about a San Francisco newspaper reporter who travels through time to alter people's lives, and "Chuck" is a thriller about a computer geek who becomes a government agent after spy secrets are embedded in his brain.

Brooke Shields headlines an hour-long series about three high-powered women friends, a script from "Sex and the City" author Candace Bushnell.

NBC's other new series, "Life," is a drama about a detective given a second chance after spending years in prison for a crime he didn't commit.

Illustrating the difficulties in introducing new comedies, NBC said it will have only one new sitcom next season — and it didn't even earn a spot on the fall schedule. "The IT Crowd" is about a group of people who work in technical services at a large corporation.

The successful game "Deal or No Deal," often NBC's most popular program, will air on Monday and Wednesday nights.

NBC announces schedule, showshttp://www.variety.com/article/VR1117964868.html?categoryid=14&cs=1While the focus this spring centered on ABC's "Grey's Anatomy"spin-off, NBC was quietly developing one of their own - and announced this morning that "Heroes" has spawned a second series of its own."Heroes: Origins" will air in "Heroes'" Monday night time slot when that smash hit takes a hiatus. The net has ordered six segs of "Origins," which, combined with "Heroes," makes for 30 hours altogether.

"Heroes: Origins" will center on characters not yet seen on the original show. Peacock has also added an interactive element to the show: Viewers will be asked to pick their favorite character from "Origins," who will then join the cast of the full-blown "Heroes" skein the following year.

The initiative to keep the "Heroes" franchise in originals for as long as possible harkens back to the golden age of TV, when series aired 39 weeks worth of originals, then took a break.

With repeats dipping to record lows on all five nets, those reruns are fast becoming a thing of the past. Besides the 30-seg "Heroes" and "Heroes: Origins" stretch, Peacock is also picking up 30 eps of "The Office" - including five hour-longs (Daily Variety, May 14) - and 25 segs of "My Name is Earl."

NBC is also waiting until January to launch the 18th season of "Law & Order," as well as the return of "Medium" - both of which will bow on Sunday nights after "Sunday Night Football" completes its run (allowing the two skeins to remain in originals for the full stretch).

Meanwhile, the net announced that it has also pacted with Peacock alum Jerry Seinfeld and DreamWorks to air 20 "minisodes" featuring the comedian recounting his experience voicing the upcoming ani feature "Bee Movie." The shorts will air as interstitials on the network.

Peacock's new 2007-08 season so far includes five new dramas, one new laffer, a new game show and one new reality competish.

"Last year we promised a return to the NBC legacy of quality, and in terms of awards, buzz and critical acclaim, that's just what we delivered," NBC Entertainment President Kevin Reilly said. "We've got the class and next season we're ready to add some mass, with new shows that build on the creative accomplishments of last season and are as broad as they are good. Combine the energy of these new programs with the bulked-up strength of our existing NBC hits and you've got a lineup that's poised to take us to the next level."

Despite speculation that "Heroes" and Thursday staple "ER" might move, net opted for stability and kept those shows in their regular homes. Also, as anticipated, critical fave (and narrowly renewed) drama "Friday Night Lights" will move to high school football night - and Peacock marketers can breathe a sigh of relief ("'Friday Night Lights,' finally on Friday," the blurbmeisters are probably already prepping).

Also, as expected, "The Office" will move into the key Thursday 9 p.m. tentpole slot, with "30 Rock" behind "My Name is Earl" and "Scrubs" behind "The Office." Because "The Office" will expand to an hour on five ocassions, the Peacock had only ordered 18 segs of "Scrubs."

Meanwhile, net stayed true to its word, and stuck with mostly reality and unscripted in the 8 p.m. slot, other than Thursday.

Toughest night for the Peacock? Wednesday, where the net will attempt two new shows "Bionic Woman" and "Life." NBC clearly believes there's an opening on the night, now that ABC has said that "Lost" won't return until January.

On Fridays, the net is promoting a "Game Night" at 8 p.m., with "1 vs. 100" airing for six weeks, followed by new gamer "The Singing Bee."

New shows include the dramas "Journeyman," "Chuck," "Bionic Woman" and "Life," with "Lipstick Jungle" prepped for midseason. Comedy "The IT Crowd" is also on the bench for midseason. New unscripted entires include "The Spelling Bee" and is "World Moves." Talent competish comes from "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson and follows dance teams competing for a touring contract.